Guard and ledger plate



June I 1925- 1,540,157

J. P. BAGAN GUARD AND LEDGER PLATE Fi led Dec. 3, 1923 WITNE S'SES I IN VEN TOR v art. Z/W MM J P r A TTORNE YS Patented June 2 1925. v

UNITED STATES PATENToF JOHQNQPETER BAGAN, or" VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

GUARD AND LEDGERPLA'IE.

Application filed December a, 1923. Serial No.-678,267.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PETER BAGAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guard and Ledger Plates, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to guards and ledger plates therefor especially adapted for use on agricultural machinery, "and more particularly reaping and mowing machines.

An important object of this invention is to provide novel means wherebya ledgerplate may be quickly and easily connected to a guard in such a manner that the ledger plate may be instantly detached with the aid of a simple tool, such asa screw driver:

A further object is, to provide simple means whereby a ledgerplatemay be quickly part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective of a guard equipped with the ledger-plate. V

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the improved guard and ledger plate.

Figure 3 is a plan view partlyin section. I Figure 4 is a perspective of the, ledger plate.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective of the guard.

In the vdrawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 10 designates a guard, the rear portion of which is provided with an attaching member 11 by means of which the guard may be attached to a guard bar. It will be seen that the attaching portion 11 is formed with an opening 12 for the reception of a fastening pressure thereon is positively pre-' member which secures the attaching portion to the guard bar.

F1 CE. i

The invention forming the subject matter of this application resides in providing novel and simple means whereby the ledger plate 14 may be quickly and detachably connected to the guard without employing rivets or extraneousfastening devices as is now the custom. With reference to Figure 3 it will be observed that the forward end of'the ledger plate 14 is reduced in width to define alip 15 and a pair of shoulders 16, the shoulders being adapted to contact with a pair of oppositel-y located shoulders 18 on the upper portion of the guard wherebythe forward movement of the l ger plate 14 is limited. Furthermore, the lip 15 is snugly recei d in a socket 20 formed between the shoulders 18 so that lateral movement of the ledger plate with relationto the guard is positively prevented. v f 1 The forward portion oftheledger plate is formed between its longitudinal edges with a U-shaped incision 22 which defines a partly severed portion which is forced or-press'ed downwardlyto form a fastening finger 24.

The terminal of the spring finger 24 is rounded and is adapted to engage beneath a bridge member 24 spanninga cavity '26 formed in the guard, the bridge-member 24 being integrally formed withor suitably secured to the guard. In this manner the plate is securely and positively anchored to the guard; In preparing to securely attach the ledger plate to the guard thelip 15 is inserted into the socket 20 and the rear portion 7 of said ledger plate is forced downwardly so that the terminal of the spring finger 24 i will spring past the bridge member 24 of the cavity and thereby anchor the forward portion of the ledger plate to the guard. I 1 V The rear portion of the ledger plate is provided adjacent its side edges'with extensions which are bent downwardly during the stampingoperation to define a pair of spring arms 30. i

The spring arms 80 are adapted to be sprung over the walls 34 of vertical recesses 85 which extend entirely through the rear portion of the guard and therefore the he cessity of employing cores in the manufacture or casting of this portion ofthe guard is overcome. It will be seen that the walls or shoulders are formed between their upper and lower sideswitli what might be said to be enlargements or projections 37 and below these projections the walls 3 1- incline forwardly so that when the spring arms are sprung over the central enlargements 37 the ledger plate may flatly rest against the top of the guard. It might be said that the forward wall of each recess is more or less V-shaped in cross section and when the spring arms '39 are sprung over the highest point or the Vtlie ledger plate will lie flatly in contact with the adiacent surface of the guard; j

In carrying out the invention the terminal portion 01 each spring arm 30 is extended inwardly to. define a lug 39 to provide a means whereby the arms may be convenicne 1y forced over the enlargements 87 without the possibility of chipping or damaging the ledger plate.

Vltll particular reference to Figure 3 it will be observed that the rear portion of the ledger plate 14 is provided between the spring arms 30 with. a tool-receiving recess which partly extends over a socket 4,6,

in the top of the guard and the rear .wall

of the socket 4E6 constitutes a: tulcrum about- 'WlllC-ll the screw driver or other convenient toolis rocked soas to elevate. the ledger plate. By this means it is possible-to remove" the ledger plate without severing rivets or without removingbolts or. the

like.

"The ledger plate may be conveniently clamped onto the guard and when applied is positively held against displacement, although capable of almost instant removal by the operator. 5 i q Having thus fully described the invention what I- claim is l. A guard comprising a body having a cavity and having a bridge member span- 'ningthe cavity, and a ledger plate having a.

U-shaped' incision defining a partly severed portion extended downwardly to define a spring fingeradapted to be received in said. cavity and securely engaged with said bridge- 'niember whereby to hold the ledger plate securely in position, said guard having apair of shoulders and ,a socket between said shoulders and said led 'er plate havinga lip received in said socket and havinga pair of shouldersflatly engaging said first namedshoulders whereby to cooperate with saidspi-ing finger to hold the ledgerplate securely in position.

2. A guard and ledger platecomprising a body having the rear portionthereof former with a pair of recesses extending entirely there-through, one wall: of each recessbeing approximately V-shaped andhaving'a central transverse enlargement, and ledger plate having its rear portion formed with attaching spring arms adapted to be sprung overjthe transverse enlargement in the walls" of the recesses, the saidspring arms having their terminal portions extended outwardly and then'inwardly to define hooks adapted for movement over the enlargements of said walls;

4. In a device of the character described, 7'

a guardhaving the, rear portion thereof formed with recesses, one wall, of in-e cessj being approximately \lshaped in cross section, and a ledger plate having the rear".

portion formed with downwardly project ingspring arms to engage the said ll shap ed walls ofthe recesses whereby to securely at, V tach the rear portion of the ledger plate to the guardpthe terminal portions of said spring arms being extended outwardly mind then inwardly. r I

5}. "A guard and ledger plate comprising a body-having a pair of recesses extended entirely therethrough and pne wall of each recess being approximately: .V shaped in pair ofspri g attaching arms adapted'for clamp ng engagement with said V-sliaped walls, sa d body being'provided between or" shoulders and said ledger plate being cross section, and. a ledger plate having provided witha second pair of shoulders engagingisaid first named shoulders and with a lip confined between said first'namcd shoulders. Y I e 6-. A guard and ledger plate comprising a body having a cavity and hayinga bridge member spanning the cavity, a ledger plate having a U-shapedincision defining a part 1y severed portion extending downwardly to define a spring finger adapted to engage said bridge member whereby to hold the ledger plate against rearward moveinent the rearaortion of said led er wlate be n l g. provided with a pair of downwarc 1y exte iiig springiarms; th terminal portions of which are curved longitudinally, said body beingprovided with recesses having walls approx mately .vfsliaped cross section and socket "neared of the ledger f 1v en ag bya jai eries e Sa b y e g p ovided wi h? adjacent the rear portion plate, saidfsocket being adaptedffo r iception of a lever.

JOHN PETERBAGAN. 

